


Spending time with you - [Caffrey-Burke day]

by NYWCgirl



Series: It changed me [4]
Category: White Collar
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Exhaustion, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-21 23:34:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12468476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: Peter is exhausted...





	Spending time with you - [Caffrey-Burke day]

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written for Caffrey-Burke day 2017. It fills the ‘exhaustion’ square on my H/C bingo card.

 

Neal´s recovery is so much slower than Peter or anybody had expected. But what had he expected? That Neal would miraculously heal from a life threatening injury like in the movies?

Honestly, he had. He had never thought about hospital bedrooms with bad food, bad coffee, catheters, diapers, therapists. Who has until it happened to them or a loved one?

And the worst part is that Neal is aware of his condition, of the betrayal of his own body. Once Neal started realizing that this would be a long term deal and perhaps even permanently, he became bitter and depressed. His speech turned out to be severely impaired. His slurred speech makes him hard to understand but sometimes it really doesn´t make any sense what he is saying. Doctors say that this will improve over time as more neural synapses form and take over for the injured ones in Neal´s brain, but for now it is sometimes frustrating for all parties involved.

Peter stops at the nurse desk, before walking up to Neal´s room on the neuro ward. He checks in with Neal´s day nurse who is still on call until the night shift takes over. They chat for a couple of minutes before Peter walks up to Neal´s room. He is tired. He has been working a lot, trying to catch Neal´s shooter but also taking care of his other cases that are just as important.

When he enters, Neal is sitting in a wheelchair next to the large window. He appears to be looking outside.

‘Hi Neal.’

Neal moves, indicating he has heard Peter but he doesn´t return the greeting. Peter can´t tell if he is having a bad day or if he is just stubborn.

‘Neal, the nurse called me to tell me that you don´t want to eat.’

Neal slowly turns his head towards Peter.

‘Well, is he right?’

Neal nods. Peter sighs and pulls out a chair to sit down.

‘Neal, we talked about this, you need to get your strength back. You need to eat and I can´t come over every day. I have to work and I would like to spend some time with El and Satchmo. Mozzie told me that he would come over today. Didn´t he?’

‘Moz h’re.’

‘So Mozzie was here. Why did he leave?’

Peter can see the guilty look on Neal´s face. Besides the speech problem, this is another major change in Neal´s personality. He has a childlike quality, he isn´t guarded anymore. Emotions can be read of his face.

‘Were you on your best behavior?’ he asks with a stern voice.

The moment the words are out of his mouth, he knows that is not fair, but he is exhausted. Working, visiting Neal and acting as a buffer between Neal and the hospital staff is wearing him down. His feeling tells him he needs to be there for Neal, but he also realizes his body is telling him to take it easy. El has been telling him that he needs to take better care of himself. He has reached the point where he is willing to admit she is right. Maybe they should go out for the weekend, ask June and Mozzie to take care of Neal during the weekend. Take El somewhere peaceful where they can rest.

‘What did you do?’

It pulls on Peter´s heart strings when he sees the child like expression of guilt on Neal´s face again.

‘Food Moz.’

Neal makes a throwing gesture with his good hand. Peter has to hide the smile on his face when he realizes what Neal has done.

‘You threw your food at Mozzie?’

Neal nods and when he sees the smile on Peter´s face, he also smiles.

‘That is not funny Neal.’

‘Food gross.’

‘I know the food is not up to your palette, but you are still on a diet Neal, you are still healing.’

‘Not a kid.’

‘No you are not, but you were badly injured and you fought so hard to stay alive, so we want you to heal and get better. And I know you want to be better now, but it will take some time. And it will require a lot of hard work. Nobody said this was going to be easy. We talked about this, remember?’

Neal sighs. Peter rubs his face. He needs to be the strong one. Neal needs him.

‘What do you want to eat?’

Neal lifts his shoulders.

‘If you don´t care, you don´t mind sharing my deviled ham sandwich.’ Peter pulls out a paper bag from behind his back.

Neal scrounges his nose in disgust.

‘Thought so, well more for me.’

Peter tears open the bag and can see Neal´s eyes widen in delight.

‘Do you want a piece of this?’

Neal nods happily.

‘Can you tell me with words?’

‘Pi’ce ple’se.’

Peter takes out his pocket knife and cuts the cronut in pieces and puts them in front of Neal.

Peter forces a smile in his face when he sees Neal slowly lift a shaking hand. It takes him three tries to get one piece in his mouth. It is slow going but Neal is determined to eat every last bit of this unexpected treat.

‘C’fee?’ Neal stares in hope towards Peter.

‘I´m sorry buddy, you are not allowed stimulants with your medication, remember?’

Neal nods.

Peter picks up the sippy cup and hands it to Neal who just stares at it in his hand. Peter knows that Neal hates the cup but he is not yet ready to drink from a glass. It is hard to admit, but the reality is that Neal can´t take care of himself. They discussed this with Neal and his doctors who suggested looking into long term facilities. Mozzie, June and he himself are looking for the right facility for Neal. It is one more thing on Peter´s plate.

He startles awake when someone touches his hand. It is Neal, looking worried.

‘I´m sorry I fell asleep. I´m just tired. I’m fine now.’

‘No fine.’

Peter gives a tired smile. He really is running on fumes. Neal slowly turns and points at his bed.

‘Sleep.’

‘’Are you tired?’

‘No.’ Neal points at Peter. ‘Sleep, tired d’nger.’

Neal is right. It is dangerous being this tired.

‘You are absolutely right. It is dangerous for me to drive like this.’

‘Take m’ bed.’

Neal´s offer is more than tempting.

‘OK, but just a quick nap.’

Peter unties his shoes and takes off his jacket and tie before laying down. It is a testimony how tired he is that he is asleep as soon as he is horizontally.

Neal watches over Peter from his chair, but he can´t get closer to Peter by himself. He tries several times, but he finally has to admit to himself that he needs help. He pushes the nurse call button and Ron, his evening nurse enters.

‘Hi Neal,. Do you want to lay down?’

Ron is taken aback for a moment when he realizes Peter is sleeping in Neal´s bed. The man looked tired earlier, so he can probably use it.

‘Closer pl’z.’

Ron nods in understanding and pushes Neal´s chair closer to the bed. Neal slowly puts his hand on top of Peter´s and smiles.

‘Do you need anything else?’

Neal shakes his head.

‘No, thanks.’

Peter shifts in his sleep towards Neal who lets his head rest on the bed.

That is how Ron finds them when he comes to check on Neal. He covers both men and puts some pillows to support Neal´s fragile body. He leaves the men who obviously care very much for each other.

 

 

 


End file.
